Sorting machine



Oct. 28, 1952 J. J. CONSTANCE SORTING MACHINE 3 Sheet -Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1948 INVENTOR JACK JV. 'CONSTANCE BY f ATTORNEQ? Oct. 28, 1952 J. J. CONSTANCE 2,615,568

' SORTING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1948 r s SheetS Sheet 2 SORT CIRCUIT RZOBL INVENTOR JACK J. CONS-TANCE ATTORNEY RZOAU R2OAL (STOP MACHINE) Oct. 28, 1952 J. J. CONSTANCE 2,615,568

SORTING MACHINE Filed June 1'7, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 STOP KEY START KEY R31 34 R32 LINE FIG. 5a.

1 -FIRST CYCLE -SECOND CYCLE l6 L CL 2 CLZo.

AR T! l JAC K J. CONSTANCE ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 28, 1952 SORTING MACHINE Jack J. Gonstance, Bartlesville, kla., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. K, a corporation of New York Application June 17, 1948, Serial No. 33,585

The present invention relates to sorting ma chines and more particularly to sorting machines in which perforated record cards are fed singly from a magazine and distributed to selected pockets in accordance with the location of perforations in the card columns.

The principal object of the invention is to provide checking devices for checking the sequence of 9, series of record cards according to data perforations in one column thereof, while the cards are being sorted in accordance with data perforations in another column thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved devices for checking the occurrence of erroneous data perforations in a card column during sorting operations.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a View, partially in section, of the card feeding and distributing mechanism of a well known type of sorting machine.

Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction of lines 2-2 of Fig. 1.

' Figs. 3 and 3a placed one above the other constitute a wiring diagram of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a timing diagram of certain of the electrical devices.

The general method of procedure in operating a record card sorting machine to arrange a stacl; of cards in numerical order will first be briefly explained, after which the manner in which the present invention is carried out will beset forth in detail.

Briefly, the sorter includes a supply magazine It (Fig. 1), a card picker l I for feeding the cards one at a time through a throat l2, and means comprising a linkage 53 operating from a main As arecord on a screw 19. The pitch'of screw 19 is such" 1 Claim. (Cl. 209-110) one revolution of a handle 2t at its end will shift brushes HS, ll'C one column space in either direction. As usual, the screw is mounted for vertical reciprocation and carries cams 2i at its extremities which cooperate with stationaryrollers 22,-so that at the beginning of the rotation of screw it it-will be cammed upwardly to lift the brushes offcontact roller it, and near the end of the revolution of the shaft the brushes will descend again. For the purpose of the present invention, a pair of contacts 23 (Fig. l) are provided and arranged with the upper blade thereof extending over the hub of handle 26. Thus, whenever the brushes are shifted, the incidental lifting of screw 19 will cause opening of contacts 23.

As the card continues to pass beneath the brushes, its forward edge moves beneath the upturned edges E l of a plurality of guide blades 25 which lead to the various sorting pockets.

Immediately upon the'analyzing brush llS-encountering a perforation in the record card column with which it is aligned, a magnet 26 is energized attracting its armature 27. If, when armature 2'! drops, the card has passed under some of the blades, the card will continue to hold these blades in their upper position. The other blades will drop with the armature z'i and the card will then move in the path formed by the first of the lowered blades which will guide the card to the pocket corresponding to the position of the hole in the card.

Located in the path of the cards are the socalled card levers 28 and 29 which are actuated by the passing cards to close contacts CL! GL2 and CL2a as diagrammatically represented in Fig. 3a.

The usual distributing commutator generally designated 39 (Fig. 3a.) is suitably geared to main shaft i i to make one revolution for each card cycle and the relative timing of its related wipers Di, D2 and D3 is as shown in the time chart (Fig. l), wherein are also shown the times in the cycle when the hole positions in the cards are at brushes its and ETC. 7 It will be noted that during the first cycle of operation card lever contacts CLi close near the end thereof and in the next cycle contacts (3L2 and CLZa close near the middel of the cycle. These levers are constructed as usual so that, when closed, they remain so as long as cards continue to follow in succession, since the leading card does not leave the lever until the following card has engaged it.

, For the purposes of present invention, a pair of timing contactors designated TI and T2 (Fig. 3) are provided and each comprises a ring of stationary contact segments 3| and wipers 32, which latter are geared to main shaft l4 so that they contact segments 3| at times in the cycles indicated in Fig. 4.

The operation of the machine may best be explained by assuming a particular example and following through the sequence of operations with respect thereto. Let us assume that a group of cards each containing a three-position number in, say, columns 50, 5| and 52 are placed in the card magazine with the numbers arranged in random order as, for example:

Card Columns 50 51 52 53 Brushes 178 170 The sorting brush US is adjusted to traverse the units order column 52 (with brush I'IC traversing a blank column 53), and the cards are fed through the machine resulting in their distribution into the several pockets in the following order:

Pocket 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 O The operator now removes the cards from the several pockets and replaces them in the magazine ID in ascending order of their units values as follows:

Sorting brush HS is shifted to traverse the tens column 51 and brush HC will traverse units column 52. The cards are now resorted according to the tens order digits, and during this sort brush [1C will through circuits to he explained ascertain whether the units or digits follow in ascending sequence and, if a card is out of sequence, the machine will stop. Such possible misarrangement may be due to carelessness on Pocket 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 The operator now again removes the cards from the several pockets and replaces them in the magazine II] in ascending order of their tens values as follows;

Sorting brush Us is shifted to traverse the hundreds column 50 and brush "C will traverse tens column 5|. The cards are resorted according to the hundreds order as follows:

Pocket..." 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Upon removal from the pockets and arranged in ascending sequence, the cards are now in proper numerical sequence as follows: 918, 895. 836, 760, 657, 555, 523, 495, 465, 342, 320, 289, 2'70, 254, 128, 104, 069.

If desired as a final check, the cards may be placed in the magazine, brush I'IS shifted to traverse a blank column 49 with brush I'IC traversing the hundreds column 50. As a result, all the cards will feed into the reject pocket while brush 11C checks for correctness of sequence.

Circuit diagram Referring now to the circuit diagram, the several circuits will be explained to point out the manner in which sorting and checking are carried out. As a preliminary, current is supplied to the and sides of line (Fig. 3a) and with the initial set of cards in magazine [0 and brush HS in line with the units column 52, start key contacts 33 are closed manually to complete a circuit from the side of line, through contacts 33, relay R30, relays RM and R32 in parallel to side of line. Relays R3! and R32 close their respective contacts to supply current to driving motor 34, so that the main shaft i4 is placed in operation.

Key contacts 33 are held closed until a card has advanced sufficiently to close card lever contacts 0L2, CL2a when a holding circuit will be established from side of line, relays R3I, and R32, relay R30, its contacts R30A, stop key contacts 35, wire 31 (Fig. 3), contacts R20AL of a relay R29 (normally closed) wire 33 (Fig. 3a), pocket contacts 36 (which open if a pocket becomes full), contacts CL2a to side of line. As long as cards continue to feed, this circuit will be maintained.

No effective circuits are completed in the first cycle and, as the first card passes brushes MS, NC in the second cycle, a sorting circuit will be completed to select the pocket for this card. With a 5 hole present, according to the example chosen, a circuit will be completed at the 5 time in the cycle traceable from side of line (Fig. 3a), contacts CLI, wiper DI, 5 segment 39, wiper D2, wire All (Fig. 3), contact roller I6, 5 hole in the card, brush ITS, wire 4| (Fig. 3a), relay R34, sorting magnet 26, wire 42 (Fig. 3), contacts R2IIBL, wire 43 (Fig. 3a) to side of line. Energization of magnet 26 at the 5 time will in the well known manner select the 5 pocket to receive this first card.

In the same manner except for difference in timing of the circuit, magnet 26 is energized in each of the succeeding cycles to select the appropriate pocket, so that the cards are distributed in the order set forth hereinabove. Brush {1C is, of course, inefiective as it rides on a blank column. If, however, such column 53 contained perforations (relating to other data), switch 44 (Fig. 3) is set in its open position for the first sorting run to interrupt any circuit through brush ITO. When the last card has passed the card levers, their contacts open and the machine stops automatically.

The cards are now replaced in the magazine, brushes HS and HG are shifted one column, and the start key is operated as before. Sorting under control of brush HS takes place through the familiar circuits to distribute the cards according to their tens digital values.

The units column of the first card contains a perforation and, as this passes brush ITC, a circuit is partially completed from side of line (Fig. 3a), contacts CLi, distributor wiper DI, 0 contact segment 39, wiper D2, wire Mi (Fig. 3), contact roller l6, 0 hole in column 52, brush IIC, switch 44 (now closed), wiper 32 of timer TI, 0 segment 3!, 0 wire 45 to contacts RIBL where the circuit is open. Thus, where 0 is the first digit sensed in a run, no circuit is completed. The next two cards sensed also have 0 holes in column 52 and these likewise are sorted by brush NS.

The fourth card has a 2 hole which will complete a circuit as before to roller l6 (Fig. 3), thence through the 2 hole, brush IIC, switch 44, brush 32 of timer TI, 2 segment 3!, 2 wire 5, a winding of relay R2, wire 46, resistor 41, wire 48 (Fig. 3a), reset key contacts 49, contacts 23 to side of line. Relay R2 closes its contacts RZAL to set up a holding circuit traceable back from side of line through wires 48, 46, contacts RZAL, second winding of relay R2, wire 55] (Fig. 3a), card lever contacts CLI to side of line, so that relay R2 will remain energized throughout the remainder of the run.

Relay R2 closes its contacts RZBU which concurrently complete a circuit between Wire db and a winding of relay RI and wire t, so that both relays RE and R2 are held energized.

Through similar circuits, the 3 hole in the next card will energize relay R3 which, if there had been no prior 2 or 1 hole cards, would through ans-see 6 its contacts R3BU energize relay R2 and the latter through its contacts RZBU would energize relay RI. 1

Thus, it will be noted that when any relay R2 to R9 becomes energized, it will cause energization of all lower valued relays in the chain RI to R9. If all cards are in proper sequence, such setting of the relays is ineifective and their holding circuit will open when the cards run out and card lever contacts CLI open. Opening of contacts 23 upon the next brush shift also breaks another point in the holding circuit.

If during this second run a card were misfiled so that a lower valued hole is sensed by brush ITC, after prior sensing of a higher valued hole, the following circuit will be completed. Assuming, specifically, that after the relays RI and R2 have been energized a card with a 0 hole is sensed, the circuit therethrough will extend from roller I6, 0 hole, brush IIC, switch 54, wiper 32 of timer TI, 0 segment 3|, 0 wire 45, contacts RIBL (now closed), wire 52, winding of relay R20, wire 48'to side of line.

Similarly, if after relays RI and R2 are set up a 1 hole is sensed, the circuit will run from the 1 wire 65, through contacts RiAU and RZBL to wire 52 to energize relay R20. Inspection will show that relay R20 will be energized whenever a lower value digit is sensed by brush iiC after sensing of a higher valued digit.

At this point it may be well to point out how the device makes a further check during the run to detect any erroneous double punching in the card column as where, for example, through some inadvertence an operator punches a 3 and a 1 hole in a column when only the 3 hole should appear. Inasmuch as the cards feed with the 9 hole position leading, the 3 hole would pick up relays R3, R2 and RI and later in the same cycle the circuit through the 1 hole would pick up relay R20 in the same manner as though the 1 hole had been in a following card.

Thus, it may be stated generally that relay R20 is energized whenever a hole sensed has a lower value than a hole sensed in a prior cycle or sensed in the same cycle for the same card column. Relay R20 when energized closes its contacts RZUBU to establish a holding circuit traceable in part from wire 59, the second winding of the relay, contacts RZOBU to wire 48 so that it will remain energized until cards run out.

It will open its contacts RMAL (Fig. 3) in the motor relay holding circuit so that machine operation stops. It also opens its contacts RZIlBL in the sorting magnet circuit to prevent operation of sorting magnet 26 in cases where the value in the column being sorted is lower than the value in the column being checked and has thus not yet reached brush US.

To facilitate the location of a misfiled card which has already efiected a pocket selection upon detection of the error, the following mechanism is provided. Timer T2 (Fig. 3) has its wiper 32 connected to brush US through a switch 54, so that each sorting circuit will branch from brush ITS, through switch 55, wiper 32 of timer T2, appropriate segment 3! and wire 55 to a magnet prefixed M as Md, Mi, etc. to M9, thence through common wire 5% to cam contacts CI (timed to close during the sensing of the digital positions on the card, Fig. 4), and wire 51 (Fig. 3a) to side of line. Contacts MBA, for example, close a holding circuit from side of line, wire 51, contacts CI, wire 56, con- 7 tacts MOA, winding of relay M0, wire 50, to side of line, through card lever contacts CLI. When contacts Cl open between card cycles, the M relay is deenergized.

If now an error occurs, resulting in energization of relay R20 as explained, a circuit will be completed from side of line, contacts CLI (Fig. 3a), wire 50 (Fig. 3), wire 60, closed contacts MGB (for example), magnet S0, wire 6|, contacts REOAU, wire 51, to side of line. Magnet S will attract its armature to raise an indicator 62 and spring urged latch 83 will snap under and hold the armature and indicator in operated position. The machine will stop upon the incidental opening of the motor circuit by which time the card in error may have been advanced to a pocket. The indicator 62 will accordingly denote the pocket containing the erroneous card and thus facilitate its location. Before operations are resumed, latch 63 is rocked manually to release the armature of magnet S0.

By opening switches 54 and 44 (Fig. 3), the machine may be employed for customary sorting operations without the checking features of the invention.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a sorting machine having a pair of adjacent sensing elements, means for feeding a succession of record cards past said elements, whereby each card is sensed simultaneously by both sensing elements, said cards each having a pair of columns in which data are represented by designations differentially located therein, and said pair of sensing elements each traverse one of said card columns, sorting mechanism controlled by one of said elements as each card passes the said one element for sorting the cards in accordance with the location of the designation in the related column of the passing card, checking mechanism controlled solely by the other of said elements as each card passes said other element for ascertaining whether the data therein has a predetermined sequential relationship with data in the same column of a preceding card, and means controlled thereby upon detection of a variance in said relationship for preventing further operation of said sorting mechanism.

JACK J. CONSTANCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,230,680 Ford Feb. 4, 1941 2,379,828 Rubidge July 3, 1945 

